Cheat Sheet is a regular series in which the people hiring for some of the most desirable jobs reveal how they pick among applicants. To join the global firm that Fortune 500 companies depend on to untangle strategy problems, you need to be sharp and lightning-quick.
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First Round:
Meet with two consultants, project leaders, or principals on staff at BCG for two 45-minute, on-campus recruiting sessions. (Or meet elsewhere, if the candidate is out of school.) The interviewers ask candidates about their backgrounds and requests they complete a real-life case study to demonstrate problem-solving skills and creativity.
Second Round:
Interviews at a BCG office with partners or principals, wherein the candidate goes through a more rigorous case interview than the first one. “We want to see how you adjust your thinking based on new information and insights from data.”
The Score:
Interviewers discuss the candidate’s performance and decide on the right candidate over the course of a conversation. Partners put the most weight on how innovative the candidate was during the case study, along with how well they think on their feet.
Do lead with your impressive track record. “We tend to look beyond intellect for this role. Give us concrete ways you’ve capitalized on opportunities and executed them.”
Do look at all the angles of a case. “We’re impressed by someone who is creative and hypothesis-driven, not necessarily the person who gets the right answer the fastest.”
Do explain your academic background. “Not having an MBA won’t disqualify you. Our consultants hold an array of diplomas, from PhD’s to M.D’s and JD’s.”
Don’t over-prepare. “Planning everything you’re going to say and do in the case study portion of the interview makes for a stale presentation and misses the mark. The point of the case is to see how you approach problems in real time.”
Don’t fumble your elevator pitch. “Know your personal stories inside and out, because you’ll only have time to give the interviewer one or two anecdotes to take away from the interview.”
